1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display technique for use in an image pickup apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a single-lens reflex image pickup apparatus, an object is generally observed through an optical finder. However, another type of image pickup apparatus has also been proposed which has an electronic finder function for displaying an object on a monitor as a moving image.
An example of an image pickup apparatus having the electronic finder function successively captures auxiliary images regarding an object image with an auxiliary image pickup device included in a finder optical system, and displays a live view based on the auxiliary images on a monitor. Some image pickup apparatuses that are capable of displaying the live view have a function of detecting specific objects in the live view image and displaying the positions of the specific objects on the monitor.
In general, a single-lens reflex image pickup apparatus includes an AF module for receiving object light to detect focus information (distance measurement information) of the object. The AF module outputs a phase-difference detection signal, which is used in an autofocus (AF) operation using a phase-difference detection method (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-15476).
The image pickup apparatus having the above-described function displays the positions of the detected specific objects on the monitor and allows a user to select one of the specific objects as a subject of distance measurement.